Are You Down or Not?
Over the course of the day, I’ve had so many different emotions ranging from excitement and happiness to sadness, guilt and selfishness. An interesting day to say the least! I’m truly missing home since I just moved across the country to become a MissionCorps member...
Turkey, Pumpkin Pie, and St. Teresa of Calcutta
I bustled around the kitchen from pan to pan, stirring this one then that, checking the numerous dishes in the oven. I was expecting company, and I wanted everything to be just so. Though it was August, I was single handedly preparing a full Thanksgiving feast at The...
Crafting Through Life at MP
Crafting is a hallmark of Maggie’s Place living. Here’s a small taste of some crafting I have done in case you don’t believe me: Whether you’re into it or not, it is certainly a part of the culture of the homes. Every role of the community presents an...
Hello, This Is Maggie
“Hello, thanks for calling Maggie’s Place, The Magdalene House! This is Maggie speaking.” Ever since my interview with Maggie’s Place, the joke has been to see how many times someone would ask me if I was the founder of Maggie’s Place. It has happened more times than...
Mary, Our Maggie’s Place Mom
I know a mom who was faced with the prospect of divorce for conceiving her son out of wedlock. She had to travel a great distance late in her third trimester for a government census. When it came time to give birth to her child, she was out on the streets. No medical...
It’s the Year of Mercy, Y’all!
As I’m sure all the MissionCorps who have lived with me can attest, I love liturgical seasons and feast days, and I like to live them out beyond church - with food, decorations, prayers, and traditions. Naturally, I am excited about the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of...
Permanently Touched
The other day, I went to Fiat with our moms for my very last Maggie’s Place house outing. It was the Prayer Angels event and moms from all of the homes were present. It was a great evening where everyone was able to sit down to a meal and fellowship together. I found...
Reminders to Never Give Up
Cauliflower makes great mashed potatoes. Washing a bottle, making breakfast, and dressing a baby can in fact all be done at the same time. Things that look like lasagna or ham in the freezer may turn out to be enchiladas or part of a turkey when thawed. Otter pops are...
In Distress & Tribulation, Jesus Comes
In our First Reading, the Prophet Daniel recounts how God dealt with His people "in a time of great distress." He sent them Michael the Archangel to be a guardian for them. The days before Jesus came into the life of Mary Magdalen, the Patron Saint of Maggie's Place,...
And So… The Adventure Begins
Each year brings new surprises and adventures, and this summer, especially so. Earlier this year I had no idea what I was going to do this summer. I didn’t know where I was called to go. There came a point where I was praying in church one day and practically begged...
When Hope is Revealed
When I came to Maggie’s Place back in January this year, there was one mom who had already been here since July of 2015. Her son was born in August. I became her “contact person” in February when we were paired together for the remainder of her stay at Maggie’s Place....
Your Adoption Story
Maggie’s Place encourages all of the women who come through our doors and their decision to choose life amidst uncertainties and a lack of support. We are currently working on a video project to highlight the decision to choose life through adoption. In creating this...
Love is All You Need
“The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying...
For the Love of a Family
I have always been surrounded by family, especially my parents and four siblings. I would have never imagined that I could learn so much about family while being 28 hours away from them during my service at Maggie’s Place. My Own Family- Selfless First, I found...
One Month as a Summer Corps
I started my summer volunteer experience as a MissionCorps member on May 14th and just celebrated my one month anniversary here as the Donations and House Operations Coordinator. Being able to witness the other Corps members, who are such calm problem solvers and...
The Versatility of a MissionCorps
The other day I was giving a mom with a pinched nerve a shoulder massage, and was thinking, “Wow, masseuse is a new one!” At Maggie’s Place, we MissionCorps do a lot of different jobs and wear a lot of different hats. Some I expected, and some are surprises....
#thatMaggiesPlacelife
I’m often asked to share what it’s like living and working at Maggie’s Place and most of the time I feel like... So here's anoter whack at it with the help of some wonderful GIFs (and a couple memes)! When a donor comes to the door and says, "Hi, I just wanted...
Help from the Holy Spirit
When asked how I first heard about Maggie’s Place and how I ended up here, I usually respond casually with “It took a lot of help from the Holy Spirit.” I explain how I read about it in the Catholic Volunteer Network magazine and my professors in college really...
Lessons Learning
My laptop is in the process of dying. Every time I turn it on, it makes a weird scraping, crackling, nails-on-chalkboard noise and every time I think it is actually going to explode right in that moment. But it doesn’t. So it’s thankfully given me some time to go...
A Lifestyle of Complete Selflessness
The crickets were chirping in Charlotte, North Carolina. All the members of my extended family were gathered around the table playing cards, but my mom and I were both hysterically crying in the back bedroom. I had just received a phone call from my physician with...